Pleasant Hills Middle School

Summary:

Pleasant Hills Middle School is a public middle school serving 798 students in grades 6-8 in the West Jefferson Hills School District in Pittsburgh, PA. This high-performing school consistently ranks among the top middle schools in the state, with a current ranking of 68 out of 891 Pennsylvania middle schools and a 5-star rating from SchoolDigger.

Pleasant Hills Middle School outperforms the state and district averages in PSSA test scores across all subjects and grade levels. For example, in 2023-2024, 76.8% of students were proficient or better in English Language Arts, compared to 53% statewide. The school also performs exceptionally well across different student subgroups, ranking in the top 5% of Pennsylvania middle schools for both female and male students, and in the top 10% for white and low socioeconomic status students. Additionally, Pleasant Hills Middle School has very low dropout rates, ranging from 0.0% to 1.6% over the past few years, significantly lower than the state average.

When compared to nearby middle schools, Fort Couch Middle School (ranked 9th in the state) and Mellon Middle School (ranked 18th), Pleasant Hills Middle School stands out as a high-performing institution, outperforming them in both math and English Language Arts proficiency. While the school's overall performance is exceptional, there is still room for improvement, particularly in math proficiency, where the school lags slightly behind the district and state averages.


Detail:

Public 6-8

 404 Old Clairton Road
       Pittsburgh, PA  15236-4398


(412) 655-8680

District: West Jefferson Hills School District

SchoolDigger Rank:
68th of 891 Pennsylvania Middle Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures:  $13,874 Help


Students who attend Pleasant Hills Middle School usually attend:

High:    Thomas Jefferson High School

Feeder schools for Pleasant Hills Middle School:

Elementary:    Gill Hall Elementary School
    Jefferson Hills Intermediate School
    McClellan Elementary School

Student/teacher ratio:  16.4 Help
Number of students:  798

Racial breakdown:

White:
85.8%
Asian:
6.8%
Hispanic:
2.6%
more

Free/discounted lunch recipients:  27.1% Help


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Performance Trends
Help
Compare Details Pleasant Hills Middle School ranks better than 92.4% of middle schools in Pennsylvania. (See more...)
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Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 89.55. (See more...)
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The high school dropout rate measures the percentage of students who do not complete their high school education.
Student Body
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Compare Details Racial makeup is: White (85.8%), Asian (6.8%), Hispanic (2.6%). (See more...)
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Compare Details 27.1% of students are receiving a free or discounted lunch. (See more...)
Teachers
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Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at Pleasant Hills Middle School is 16.4. (See more...)
Help
Compare Pleasant Hills Middle School employs 48.5 full-time teachers.
Finance
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Compare Details The average total spent per student at Pleasant Hills Middle School is $13,874.
Schooldigger 2024 Rankings:

Pleasant Hills Middle School:

SchoolDigger ranks Pleasant Hills Middle School 68th of 891 Pennsylvania public middle schools. (See Pleasant Hills Middle School in the ranking list.)

Middle School Test Score Ratings by Student Subgroup:


Low Socio Economic Status students:
Female students:
Disabled students:
Male students:
Asian students:
White students:


West Jefferson Hills School District:

SchoolDigger ranks West Jefferson Hills School District 32nd of 610 Pennsylvania school districts. (See district ranking list.)


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Your rating for Pleasant Hills Middle School?

Rank History for Pleasant Hills Middle School

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Compare

Rank History for all students at Pleasant Hills Middle School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools PA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2003 82.55 97th 643 84.9%
2004 85.07 73rd 663 89.0%
2005 81.27 120th 687 82.5%
2006 81.15 95th 736 87.1%
2007 79.89 101st 749 86.5%
2008 83.46 74th 753 90.2%
2009 82.17 84th 770 89.1%
2010 81.88 92nd 805 88.6%
2011 85.28 49th 825 94.1%
2012 82.57 84th 834 89.9%
2013 84.39 56th 758 92.6%
2014 83.31 73rd 728 90.0%
2015 84.34 91st 835 89.1%
2016 85.37 97th 870 88.9%
2017 86.53 88th 877 90.0%
2018 88.96 56th 861 93.5%
2019 90.38 52nd 891 94.2%
2021 77.04 142nd 797 82.2%
2022 82.73 116th 883 86.9%
2023 89.79 64th 893 92.8%
2024 89.55 68th 891 92.4%
See the entire list of Pennsylvania Middle School Rankings!

Rank History for Low Socio Economic Status students at Pleasant Hills Middle School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools PA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2023 86.74 65th 874 92.6%
2024 85.79 64th 877 92.7%
See the entire list of Best Pennsylvania Middle Schools for Low Socio Economic Status Students!

Rank History for Female students at Pleasant Hills Middle School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools PA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2024 87.53 69th 860 92.0%
See the entire list of Best Pennsylvania Middle Schools for Female Students!

Rank History for Disabled students at Pleasant Hills Middle School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools PA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2023 74.40 88th 660 86.7%
2024 83.95 54th 672 92.0%
See the entire list of Best Pennsylvania Middle Schools for Disabled Students!

Rank History for Male students at Pleasant Hills Middle School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools PA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2024 89.22 64th 870 92.6%
See the entire list of Best Pennsylvania Middle Schools for Male Students!

Rank History for Asian students at Pleasant Hills Middle School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools PA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2023 35.97 106th 144 26.4%
2024 19.92 121st 145 16.6%
See the entire list of Best Pennsylvania Middle Schools for Asian Students!

Rank History for White students at Pleasant Hills Middle School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools PA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2023 84.38 63rd 681 90.7%
2024 85.14 68th 673 89.9%
See the entire list of Best Pennsylvania Middle Schools for White Students!

Data source: test scores: Pennsylvania Dept of Education, rankings: SchoolDigger.com

As you review the school rankings data, please be aware that some of the information from certain demographics is missing. The reason for this omission is that the data has been redacted from the source data itself due to low population samples in these specific demographic groups.

Redacting data from low population samples is a necessary step to ensure the reliability and accuracy of the results, as small sample sizes may not be representative of the broader population. Additionally, this measure helps protect the privacy of individuals belonging to these demographic groups.

Pleasant Hills Middle School Test Scores
Tests: 
  
Grades: 
  
Years: 
  
Group by: 
District Scores:
State Scores:    
  
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Data source: Pennsylvania Dept of Education

Review counts

All ratings (Avg rating: 5)
100%

0%

0%

0%

0%

  

Reviews:
by a parent
Wednesday, February 4, 2015

Open Quote this school being my old middle school, I believe it is the best in the Pittsburgh area Close Quote



Enrollment information for Pleasant Hills Middle School

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Compare
Year White African American Asian Hispanic American Indian Pacific Islander Two or More Races Not Specified Total
1988 523 12 9 1 0 n/a n/a 0 545
1989 556 9 8 1 0 n/a n/a 0 574
1990 540 9 8 1 0 n/a n/a 0 558
1991 576 11 7 1 0 n/a n/a 0 595
1992 606 11 8 1 0 n/a n/a 0 626
1993 600 13 5 0 2 n/a n/a 0 620
1994 607 10 6 0 2 n/a n/a 0 625
1995 635 10 5 0 0 n/a n/a 0 650
1996 635 10 5 0 0 n/a n/a 0 650
1997 673 12 6 4 1 n/a n/a 0 696
1998 720 12 7 0 1 n/a n/a 0 740
1999 750 17 4 1 0 n/a n/a 0 772
2000 731 11 5 0 0 n/a n/a 0 747
2001 715 14 3 2 0 n/a n/a 0 734
2002 731 22 3 1 1 n/a n/a 0 758
2003 731 22 3 1 1 n/a n/a 0 758
2004 707 30 1 0 2 n/a n/a 0 740
2005 662 18 2 0 2 n/a n/a 0 684
2006 637 13 4 1 3 n/a n/a 0 658
2007 617 14 6 1 2 n/a n/a 0 640
2008 616 17 8 4 2 n/a n/a 0 647
2009 611 18 6 3 2 n/a n/a 1 641
2010 628 15 8 3 2 n/a n/a 3 659
2011 619 14 10 3 1 0 2 0 649
2012 635 15 10 3 0 0 5 0 668
2013 625 18 13 7 0 0 5 0 668
2014 622 15 14 6 0 0 7 0 664
2015 637 15 21 7 0 0 4 0 684
2016 631 11 24 12 0 0 5 0 683
2017 621 17 19 11 0 0 6 0 674
2018 628 24 19 9 0 0 10 0 690
2019 619 22 14 7 0 0 11 0 673
2020 654 23 15 10 0 0 11 0 713
2021 634 18 29 10 0 0 10 0 701
2022 686 17 41 19 0 0 17 0 780
2023 685 19 54 21 1 0 18 0 798

Data source: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Dept of Education.

About Enrollment/Ethnicity

For more information about how the Department of Education defines ethnicity, see Defining Race and Ethnicity Data, National Center for Education Statistics

Students eligible for free or discounted lunch at Pleasant Hills Middle School

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Compare
Year # Students Full-time Teachers Student/Teacher ratio % Free/Discounted Lunch
1988 545 39.0 13.9 n/a
1989 574 36.0 15.9 n/a
1990 558 41.0 13.6 0
1991 595 43.0 13.8 n/a
1992 626 45.0 13.9 n/a
1993 620 31.5 19.7 n/a
1994 625 32.0 19.5 n/a
1995 650 37.5 17.3 n/a
1996 650 37.5 17.3 n/a
1997 696 37.5 18.6 n/a
1998 740 37.5 19.7 n/a
1999 772 39.5 19.5 n/a
2000 747 40.0 18.7 7.4
2001 734 39.0 18.8 10.6
2002 758 39.2 19.3 10.3
2003 758 39.2 19.3 10.3
2004 740 38.2 19.4 9.1
2005 684 36.2 18.9 11.4
2006 658 36.0 18.3 11.7
2007 640 32.0 20.0 13
2008 647 40.0 16.2 12.8
2009 641 40.0 16.0 13.6
2010 659 41.0 16.0 14.5
2011 649 37.7 17.1 12
2012 668 45.9 14.5 14.7
2013 668 45.9 14.5 16.8
2014 664 45.9 14.4 18.7
2015 684 44.0 15.5 22.7
2016 683 45.0 15.1 18.6
2017 674 46.2 14.5 18.8
2018 690 46.2 14.9 21.7
2019 673 47.5 14.1 19.6
2020 713 46.2 15.4 20.2
2021 701 47.4 14.7 22
2022 780 48.5 16.0 23.2
2023 798 48.5 16.4 27.1

Data source: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Dept of Education.

About Students eligible for discounted/free lunch:

The National School Lunch Program (NSLP) provides low-cost or free meals to students in U.S. public and nonprofit private schools based on household income. Those with incomes below 130% of the poverty line receive free lunch, while those between 130% and 185% qualify for reduced-price lunch. The percentage of students receiving free or reduced-price lunch serves as a marker for poverty, as it reflects the socioeconomic status of families in a given school or district. A higher FRPL rate typically indicates a higher concentration of low-income families, suggesting that the school or district may face additional challenges in providing adequate resources and support for student success.

Student/Teacher Ratio Pleasant Hills Middle School

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Compare
Year # Students Full-time Teachers Student/Teacher ratio % Free/Discounted Lunch
1988 545 39.0 13.9 n/a
1989 574 36.0 15.9 n/a
1990 558 41.0 13.6 0
1991 595 43.0 13.8 n/a
1992 626 45.0 13.9 n/a
1993 620 31.5 19.7 n/a
1994 625 32.0 19.5 n/a
1995 650 37.5 17.3 n/a
1996 650 37.5 17.3 n/a
1997 696 37.5 18.6 n/a
1998 740 37.5 19.7 n/a
1999 772 39.5 19.5 n/a
2000 747 40.0 18.7 7.4
2001 734 39.0 18.8 10.6
2002 758 39.2 19.3 10.3
2003 758 39.2 19.3 10.3
2004 740 38.2 19.4 9.1
2005 684 36.2 18.9 11.4
2006 658 36.0 18.3 11.7
2007 640 32.0 20.0 13
2008 647 40.0 16.2 12.8
2009 641 40.0 16.0 13.6
2010 659 41.0 16.0 14.5
2011 649 37.7 17.1 12
2012 668 45.9 14.5 14.7
2013 668 45.9 14.5 16.8
2014 664 45.9 14.4 18.7
2015 684 44.0 15.5 22.7
2016 683 45.0 15.1 18.6
2017 674 46.2 14.5 18.8
2018 690 46.2 14.9 21.7
2019 673 47.5 14.1 19.6
2020 713 46.2 15.4 20.2
2021 701 47.4 14.7 22
2022 780 48.5 16.0 23.2
2023 798 48.5 16.4 27.1

Data source: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Dept of Education.

About Student-Teacher Ratio

Student/teacher ratio is calculated by dividing the total number of students by the total number of full-time equivalent teachers. Please note that a smaller student/teacher ratio does not necessarily translate to smaller class size. In some instances, schools hire teachers part time, and some teachers are hired for specialized instruction with very small class sizes. These and other factors contribute to the student/teacher ratio. Note: For private schools, Student/teacher ratio may not include Pre-Kindergarten.
Finances

Per Pupil Expenditures for Pleasant Hills Middle School

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YearExpenditures from Federal FundsExpenditures from State and Local FundsTotal Expenditures Per Pupil (All Funds)
2019 $103 (0.7%) $14,512 (99.3%) $14,615
2020 $124 (0.9%) $13,632 (99.1%) $13,756
2021 $233 (1.6%) $14,095 (98.4%) $14,328
2022 $488 (3.5%) $13,386 (96.5%) $13,874

Data source: Pennsylvania Department of Education
Pre and Post Pandemic Data

Impact of COVID-19 on Pleasant Hills Middle School

The coronavirus has had a profound impact on education in America. Learning shifted online overnight, attendance numbers dwindled, and enrollment decreased. SchoolDigger.com is making it easier for you to better assess how COVID-19 has impacted your school. Through the collection of pre-pandemic (2019) and current data, SchoolDigger.com is sharing test scores, enrollment numbers and school demographics from schools across the country – and we make it easy to see how impacted schools compare locally and statewide.

Rankings

Rank
Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)
Rank
Post pandemic (2022-2023)
Change (%)
Ranks 52nd of 891 Middle schoolsRanks 64th of 893 Middle schools
 1.3%

Test Scores

% proficient
Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)
% proficient
Post pandemic (2022-2023)
Change (%)
6th Grade Math (Pleasant Hills Middle School)58.661.3
 2.7%
   6th Grade Math (Pennsylvania)3936.4
 2.6%
6th Grade English Language Arts (Pleasant Hills Middle School)88.979.4
 9.5%
   6th Grade English Language Arts (Pennsylvania)6355.6
 7.4%
7th Grade Math (Pleasant Hills Middle School)55.345.1
 10.2%
   7th Grade Math (Pennsylvania)38.233.2
 5%
7th Grade English Language Arts (Pleasant Hills Middle School)84.478.3
 6.1%
   7th Grade English Language Arts (Pennsylvania)60.554.5
 6%
8th Grade Math (Pleasant Hills Middle School)53.846.6
 7.2%
   8th Grade Math (Pennsylvania)32.226
 6.2%
8th Grade Science (Pleasant Hills Middle School)82.176.1
 6%
   8th Grade Science (Pennsylvania)58.257
 1.2%
8th Grade English Language Arts (Pleasant Hills Middle School)81.579.2
 2.3%
   8th Grade English Language Arts (Pennsylvania)57.952.8
 5.1%
All Grades Math (Pleasant Hills Middle School)55.851
 4.8%
   All Grades Math (Pennsylvania)42.439.3
 3.1%
All Grades Science (Pleasant Hills Middle School)82.176.1
 6%
   All Grades Science (Pennsylvania)6865.6
 2.4%
All Grades English Language Arts (Pleasant Hills Middle School)84.978.9
 6%
   All Grades English Language Arts (Pennsylvania)60.953.8
 7.1%

Student Body

Number of students
Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)
Number of students
Post pandemic (2022-2023)
Change (%)
Total Students673798
 18.6%
African American2219
 13.6%
American Indian01
Asian1454
 285.7%
Hispanic721
 200%
Pacific Islander00
White619685
 10.7%
Two or More Races1118
 63.6%
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients19.6%27.1%
 7.5%


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Frequently Asked Questions about Pleasant Hills Middle School

Yes. Pleasant Hills Middle School ranks in the top 7.6% of Pennsylvania middle schools.

Students at Pleasant Hills Middle School are 86% White, 7% Asian, 3% Hispanic, 2% African American, 2% Two or more races.

In the 2022-23 school year, 798 students attended Pleasant Hills Middle School.

Students who attend Pleasant Hills Middle School usually go on to attend Thomas Jefferson High School


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SchoolDigger data sources: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Department of Education, the U.S. Census Bureau and the Pennsylvania Department of Education.

IMPORTANT DISCLAIMERS: Not all boundaries are included. We make every effort to ensure that boundaries are up-to-date. But it's important to note that these are approximations and are for general informational purposes only. To verify legal descriptions of boundaries or school locations, contact your local tax assessor's office and/or school district.





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